Oakley
Flak Jacket
Eyewear

Product Description

While the M Frame boasts a hybrid lens, Oakley's Flak Jacket is the true hybrid of the big O's offerings. It has feet firmly set in both the sport and lifestyle camps. It looks like it belongs on your face while riding, while hanging out, and for that hybrid of sport and standing around, golf. Oakley has updated the lens technology for Flak Jacket and now offers it with Iridium lenses.As you can imagine, you have all of Oakley's technology working for you here. The O Matter frame is lightweight, durable, and comfortable. The Unobtanium nose piece and ear socks help make that three-point fit as secure as wearing full-face goggles. High Definition Optics on Plutonite lenses offer great clarity, and the lenses are coated with a hydrophobic and oleophobic solution. These are features on all Oakley's sport glasses; they haven't skimped just because the look is fashionable.The Oakley Flak Jacket Iridium comes with a Jet Black frame and Black Iridium lenses. Black Iridium is a dark, neutral base lens with a mirror coating. It has 10% light transmission, meaning it is best used on extremely sunny days. It comes with a hard case and a soft bag, the latter for cleaning and stowing the glasses in a pocket. There are also two sets of nose pieces to customize the fit.

User Reviews

Overall Rating:

Value Rating:

Submitted by
SnakeHandling SingleSpeeder
a All Mountain Rider

Date Reviewed: November 14, 2013

Strengths: Oakley
Indestructible

Weaknesses: Cost
Not as many lenses

Bottom Line:

I love these glasses during the summer as they are indestructible. I got the military edition at the oakley clearance store. I love them, but oakley doesn't provide you with all the bells a whistles that tifosi does. No extra lenses for example. Anything else is extra and oakley being a top end maker is more expense. All in all because of the sales prices I'd say it was good and I wear them both on and off the trail. Super comfortable and stays in place.

Weaknesses: Hinges feel a little cheap, but no issues so far. "Matte black" color is really just unpainted plastic

Bottom Line:

Bought these as my second pair of Oakleys, after having the XX for 7 years. These seemed to be the only frame I liked and that fit well. I wanted something that was comfortable, and fully covered my eyes from all angles. I did the in store customization to get the matte black frame, and XLJ polarized black iridium lenses. I just wish they might have been a little cheaper, but the upgrades added a higher amount from the base price.

Strengths: The fit on these sunglasses is near perfect, great wrap around on the lenses offer good protection. Frames fit very close to the side of the head preventing them from interfering with helmets.

I really love Oakley's replaceable lens system. If I sit on these glasses, step on them, whatever, they just simply come apart, I've never had a pair break on me.

Weaknesses: Lenses scratch fairly easily, rubber nose pieces keep popping off and getting lost. Luckily they are not that expensive to replace. Expensive unless you get them off the military site.

Strengths: Amazing aesthetics, no need for a head band, mine are polarized and keep out the sun a noticeably large amount compared to my Spys or Electrics, they are not composed of metal pieces so if you sit on them, the pressure will not not brake them. They are strong in form, plus, they don't slip off when wet

Very pleased with the fact that the glasses, together with the Halo headband, kept the sweat off the lens and out of my eyes. This in spite of my most recent sweatfest on a humid 90+ degree day. I sweat a LOT.

Also, if you are in the military, you can get the Oakleys at a greatly reduced price. Hope you like black or gray frames.

Strengths: Great product. I'm a competitive runner - I don't bike very frequently. These glasses hold on securely but not painfully. The optics are extremely clear, and the rubber grips hold on very well with perspiration.

Weaknesses: I haven't encountered any yet.

Bottom Line:

These glasses rock! I got them for a 50% discount, so that made them even more worthwhile.

Weaknesses: Price (esp. for prescription lenses), tendency to fog up in certain conditions

Bottom Line:

After using the same sunglasses (Oakley Wires) for the past 10 or so years I thought it was time to update. I have a prescription, and contacts were out, so I was on the lookout for some prescription sunglasses that I could wear for riding and running as well as for general day-to-day use. Being very particular about my sight (or lack thereof), I was fastidious about my choice and checked out nearly every available option. In the end, I chose the all black Flak Jacket XLJ with a grey lens.

I've had these since Christmas 07 and I couldn't be happier. The fit and comfort is great and along with the light weight I don't feel them at all whilst riding or running. Visual clarity is great and there is no distortion at any point on the lens, a real bonus for a prescription lens.

There is a lot of choice when it comes to lens colour and ultimately I would have loved a Transition lens in persimmon but unfortunately they don't make those for prescription (would have been absolutely perfect for MTBing) so settled on the grey lens instead. I'm still very happy with the finished product.

My only issues is that they do have a tendency to fog up, especially in wet/cold conditions and that replacement lenses cost a bomb ($AU270 for clear/yellow!). I guess that's what you get for needing prescription lenses!

Overall they are pretty pricey, especially if you need a prescription lens, however I would thoroughly recommend them as the strengths far outweigh the weaknesses.

Strengths: Flexible but strong frame. Good lens with great clarity. Oakley's new lens treatment perfect for active people. Very versatile with interchangeable lenses.

Weaknesses: scratching a lens may cost big bucks to replace, though you get what you pay for in visual clarity

Bottom Line:

So much nicer than Half Jackets. Don't know how but they seem to fit better and feel more geared to larger variety of outdoor activities. The HJ were sitting in my golf bag as I designated them to that duty. But nowadays, I keep these on my head all the time on weekends, even when I golf so the HJs are on their way to another owner. The lens treatment is awesome. Plus the harcase is a nice bonus.I bought these the week of release so I paid retail. Like all Oakleys, they are pricey but IMHO, a worthy investment. Just a testament to their impact protection claim. I took a fall two years ago skiing and in my flipping, my pole(the business end) nailed me right in my left eye lens. It left a horrific gouge in the lens but it stayed intact saving me from a painful skull f'ing. One of the many reasons for my devotion to Oakley eyewear.

I'm going BB-7 and forgetting about hydro. Of the kits I'm looking at, one comes with flak jaket for $180. The other has no cables, but if I purchase the jagwire ripcord, it will be about $210 for everything. I already have jagwire derailleur cables so I know they work great. But are they worth the ... Read More »

I was looking through Specialized current mountain bike tires on their web page and notice that Flak Jacket flat protection is no longer featured in their Sport tires anymore. Is this a typo or has Specialized discontinued Flak Jacket in their new mountain bike tires? If they have discontinued Flak ... Read More »

Has anyone ditched the HUGE shoulder pads on the Rockgardn flak jacket? I'm really tempted to do this because the shoulder pads are really the only thing that REALLY limits mobility for me. With the new EVS neck brace I got, having all the mobility available is key. I don't like the 661 core saver ... Read More »

Helooooo,
So I just noticed that the RockGardn 2010 Lady Flak Jacket is not hot pink and since my 661 body armor really doesn't fit well I'm thinking of trying one of these out.
I'm 5'11, 145 lbs, and a smallish B.
The reason I don't like my 661 jacket is that even my small chest makes the har ... Read More »